BCG JAB AXED FROM SCHOOLS

Under government-inspired changes, the jab will now be offered to babies and older children who are most likely to catch the disease, such as those whose parents or grandparents were born in a country with high levels of TB or who will be visiting a high risk country for more than a month

Mother Sarah Lillywhite, of Framfield Road, Uckfield, has an 11 year-old daughter at Uckfield Community Technology College.

She said: 'We got a letter about this recently but before this happened I had heard nothing about it.

'As a mother I am very concerned about this '“ even if East Sussex is a low risk area, what happens if she goes off to university and comes into contact with people from high risk areas then?'

She added: 'Also, with the continuing influx of people from other countries, what is to say East Sussex wouldn't become a high risk area in the future? This is crazy and I imagine they could realise their mistake in a few years and have to re-introduce it anyway.'

The Department of Health has rolled out this scheme nationally. Any areas classified as 'low risk' will no longer automatically receive the immunisation.

A spokesman from Sussex Downs and Weald PCT said: 'This is the local implementation of a national scheme. Letters have gone out in the last few weeks explaining what is happening. East Sussex has an extremely low rate of TB, less than 40 cases in every 100,000.'

For more information about the changes, go to: www.immunisation.nhs.uk or call: NHS Direct on: 0845 4647.